DistroWatch Weekly

A weekly opinion column and a summary of events from the distribution world

DistroWatch Weekly

Reader Comments

1 • Linux Today (by s3d on 2004-06-07 09:14:22 GMT)
While I have seen alot of FUD and advertising on Linux Today, I am much more disgruntled by another site called Linux Planet.2 • Anti-Linux banners/ads on Linux sites (by Content visitor on 2004-06-07 09:47:05 GMT)
I think you've taken the right approach. Let the users be the judge. That way you know the people avoiding those sites are avoiding them for the right reasons: not because someone tells them to, but because they know those sites are ridiculous. It's a disgrace people who are supposed to be supporting Linux are taking such drastic actions to secure their means of funding. Shame on them! And I want you to know I admire your choice not to link to those sites at all. Good choice, Ladislav!

I am a content reader for a couple of years now and your site is still my favourite Linux site. You are -at least in my opiniion- far more objective than others and listens to both sides of the story before you form your opinion and, what's more important you let us be our own judge in stead of telling us what to think (even though I sometimes think some people ought to be told what to think, but still in the end it's better to let them think for themselves :^). And congrats with the new site -- I think it's even better now (less scrolling). BTW, I like your donation programme. It's one of those things OSS sites should do more often. A great initiative!3 • Don't you mean LinuxInsider? (by Christophe on 2004-06-07 10:17:22 GMT)
Aren't you talking about LinuxInsider? If there's a MS shill disguised as Linux site it's that one, not Linux Today! I did once or twice see Microsoft ads on Linux Today, but they were always removed the very same day. As for the Microsoft FUD, Linux Today's job is to link (and only link. Articles that originate on Linux Today are extremely rare, and usually are from the editor Brian Profitt who is strongly pro-Linux) to news about Linux, *any* news about Linux. And that's good, because we need to know what's told against us if we want to be able to respond to it. You can't reply to FUD you don't know about. It's not "showing side-by-side two contrasting views", it's showing the readers a correct view of what's told about Linux in the news everywhere on the web! Isn't that the job of a news site?

If you want to boycott sites, boycott the ones that *actually* publish the FUD articles, not the ones that just link to them (and you can't blame Linux Today for making that job difficult, the original site of the article is always present before the title of the article, so you can easily see if it's a site you are ready to go to or not). I personally decided to boycott LinuxInsider after they publish their nth article from Bob Enderle. But I'm not gonna boycott Linux Today for showing me that that moron published a new article! On the contrary, I'm happy it keeps me aware of the activities of the ones that try to spread FUD all over the world.

Haven't you even thought one minute that the rise in number of FUD articles linked to by Linux Today could simply mean that there's a rise in number of such articles on the web? isn't it responsible to let us know that the enemy is getting more active against us, and to show us what it is doing?

Although I do think Brian owes us an explanation about the Microsoft ads, there's just no way you can call Linux Today a MS shill!4 • Microsoft's Anti-Linux Propaganda (by Eavy at 2004-06-07 10:20:03 GMT)
By taking Microsoft's money to display its ads, Microsoft always wins and the Linux community loses:

While at first glance it looks like Microsoft's money could be used to support the Linux websites, Microsoft is buying much more than banner space with that money.

It is investing the money to harm the community, its only serious competition, more than the money might help it.

The ads turn the informed visitors against the sites hosting them (the boycott is what's happening) while confusing and misleading uninformed visitors (who search for Linux information and find Microsoft FUD).

Unfortunately the sites showing Microsoft's Anti-Linux Propaganda have chosen the (short-sighted) benefit of more money which will ultimately lead to their self-destruction (after causing damage to the whole community).

The community can no longer trust those major Linux sites, people turn against them, the community loses the sites and the sites lose their audience.

In a way, those sites became pawns of Microsoft similar to SCO and the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, their own demise sponsored by Microsoft.5 • Linux Today - Microsoft "sponsorship" (by Peter on 2004-06-07 10:27:07 GMT)
A lot o people benefit from Microsoft sponsorship, the company spend a great deal of money on charity BUT in the Linux Today case the word "sponsorship" doesn't apply, that's not sponsorship, sponsorship would be if MS would pay for bandwidth and advertize for MS Linux :) What happens overthere is also a "S" word... sabotage.6 • Boten Linux (by Anonymous on 2004-06-07 11:07:46 GMT)
Web page with contact details to Boten developer:http://www.mpthrill.com/shay/7 • LinuxWorld Australia (by Aussie Linux User on 2004-06-07 11:23:52 GMT)
On behalf of all Australians, sorry about the LinuxWorld Australia website. Rest assure that most of us are not hyprocrites :-)

One step at a time fellas. The monopoly will eventually fall.8 • Microsoft Ads on NewsNow..... (by Ronald L. Gibson at 2004-06-07 11:29:46 GMT)
I have seen ads on NewsNow in the Linux section a couple of times. The ads stick to the top of the list of news. I don't see it now but here is the link for it. This is the best news source.http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?name=Linux9 • Microsoft sponsorship of Linux Sites (by Pat Krug at 2004-06-07 13:06:34 GMT)
I'm wondering what all the fuss is about as long as the editorial content remains the same, i.e. an independent voice? Surely we who support "Open" standards and software can handle claims by a funded company that can either be verified or debunked with testing. I have noted the ads for some time now and personally, I kind of get a kick out of Microsoft using their money to support an editorial voice that is clearly anti-Microsoft.

I for one continue to enjoy reading the articles on presented on Linux Today's site. Should my opinion change, I'll remove the bookmark from my (Mozilla) browser and cease looking through the site. Freedom of choice, that is what the whole movement is about, isn't it?10 • Linux Today (by SyntaxError at 2004-06-07 13:30:18 GMT)
I think it's bad judgement to accept paid ads from Microsoft on Linux-promoting sites. It's like display Ford ads at GM dealer sites. (Not a perfect anology but ...)11 • Microsoft (by Jason Porter on 2004-06-07 13:38:42 GMT)
I am glad today that there is a choice and it it LINUX. I feel Linux is at the point that it is a Operating System for the Desktop, Server and Enterprise. Distributions are just getting better with time. The distributions now available are more user friendly then the distributions I tried back in 1996. Yes, I am a gui person, but Linux is about choice. Back then I was tired of the Micro$oft Way, and started trying other operating systems I could get my hands on. The first distribution I ever tried, I could not get X to work so I gave up but when the Micro$oft money pit wanted more I came back and tried again. I am so happy that I did. Linux was a rough road to a newbie such as I. I had no knowledge of Linux when I started but it has allowed me true freedom.

I am frankly tired of the attacks upon Linux by Microsoft and SCO among many others. When I see Microsoft propaganda on a Linux site I go somewhere else. Linux has become a competitor in Micro$ofts eyes and all we can do is expect the propaganda and under hand dealing by Micro$oft to continue. We do not need to lower ourselves to Micro$ofts level. Microsoft will not win if the Linux community sticks together. We need to pass on what we have learned to the next generation of Linux users and we need to support the Linux Community so that the Linux choice will be here not only today but tommorrow.12 • Microsoft (by ladislav at 2004-06-07 13:55:37 GMT)
I am no longer sure that I expressed myself clearly in the story. The issue is not Microsoft. I don't believe that Microsoft is the enemy; as far as I am concerned, Microsoft doesn't even matter.

The point of the story is simple: several Linux-related web sites accept money to display anti-Linux content on their web sites. It doesn't matter who pays for that content - all that matters is the fact that Linux is shown as something inferior, something that is expensive, something that is nothing short of rubbish. That's what I find unacceptable! It doesn't matter if those ads are on Slashdot or OSNews, because those are not Linux sites. But it does matter on Linux Today, LinuxWorld and LinuxPlanet!

If some of you find nothing wrong with the concept, I am not going to waste any more time trying to convince you otherwise. Just remember that there are people who accept these monies, put them into their pockets, and happily place large anti-Linux banners on their "Linux" web sites. To me, this is not just plain wrong, it is also dishonest, immoral and hypocritical.
13 • Linux Today (by Shaggyman at 2004-06-07 13:56:27 GMT)
I have to agree with Christophe. I want them to link to the FUD articles so that I can get an idea of what the current propaganda is. I usually don't get beyond the quick summary. When you see a particularly good response, it's convenient to be able to get to the original article quickly.

One of the first things I always add to Mozilla is Adblock, so I haven't seen any MS ads. If I should, it's a quick right click--left click and it's gone forever.14 • No subject (by Anonymous on 2004-06-07 14:06:07 GMT)
I wrote "I don't get your point at all. Could you be more specific, please?" earlier. Sorry for this: I think my proxy played me a trick. Now I can't even find the post to which I wanted to reply.15 • LT (by EEDOK at 2004-06-07 14:33:59 GMT)
I think it's good that linuxtoday is being sponsered by MS, as it's like taking money from the competition for yourself.. Plus since when has anyone taken an ad seriously, especially when there's a contrasting article about it.. I wouldn't suggest boycotting the site, if MS's sponsership program is a pay-per-click one, I'd even suggest clicking the ads a few times..16 • Microbrain Megawallet (by Benjamin Vander Jagt at 2004-06-07 14:37:34 GMT)
If I were a software company trying to advertise my software, I wouldn't advertise among free software communities. O.o maybe that's just me.17 • M$ (by Bob at 2004-06-07 16:03:56 GMT)
Bill Gates subscribes to Adolf Hilter's words,"Tell a lie loud enough and long enough and people will believe it." There is more here than this, it is strong indication of M$'s fear of a better OS.What I fear even more is that M$ will fund a linux distro that is badly executed by design and, as a result, one more argument against Linux.

BTW, by what Gates and his wife support, I have no doubt they have more in common with Hitler than George Washington.

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within."

- Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman, Philosopher and Orator, 106-43 B.C.18 • FUD and stuff (by Eric Yeoh at 2004-06-07 16:27:38 GMT)
Yes I agree that having MS ads on Linux sites is in bad taste, to put it mildly. However, one of the things that attracted me to FLOSS is the freedom to choose. Why the double standards?

Those people who operate the sites do need to pay bills. Let's be honest, how many of us really pay for the stuff we read and the FLOSS apps we use?

The FUD generated by MS is well just FUD. If having an ad here and there would undermine a great philosphy and products (FLOSS) we have really got to think whether are we in the wrong crowd.

No of course we are not!

There will always be pro-MS people, so naturaly, people whose livelihood depends on MS stuff would be aggresively defending MS, even if they know what they do might cost them their eternal soul!

But for my personal computing I like nothing better to use GNU/Linux.19 • I'm stunned !!!! (by Nitroushhh on 2004-06-07 16:40:58 GMT)
hi all,Sorry to interupt the banner ads discussion but.... Just tried PCLinuxOS.Its absolutely amazing. If you had trouble getting multimedia going on your linux desktop then look no further.Its played all my media files. Got dvds going with no problems. mixed region.And dolby digital 5.1 out of my optical spdif connector. ( i wasn't convinced this was possible before)mounted samba shares no problem.The default 'get you going' package selection is brilliant.I think my mother would have no problem with the package manager.And its only a preview.This is definitely the disk I'll be giving to my friends to show what linux can do.

It won't displace my suse install but my media pc has had all its birthdays come at once. Another windows installation bites the dust :-)

So i think distrowatch's financial contribution to this project is very well placed.

In fact after I've clicked submit I'm going to buy one of your t-shirts. Nitroushhh.20 • Contributions (by Mateo [GWJ] at 2004-06-07 16:47:54 GMT)
I'm pretty happy with Mandrake 10 Official, so donating to PCLinuxOS won't say me one way or another. What I do like, however, is how you keep everything in the open Ladislav. Kudos.21 • Linux news (by Vacendak at 2004-06-07 17:00:51 GMT)
I agree with ladislav. If you need a new site to replace Linux world with then I would recommend www.lxer.com. It is not a pretty site but it gets right to the point and it objective.22 • putting the FUD back into computing! (by Anonymous on 2004-06-07 18:32:05 GMT)
I think its highly amusing that microsoft is pouring some small fraction of its ill gotten funds into supporting linux advocacy sites. I don't think that it is hypocritical for linux advocates to benefit from such blatant desperation.I find it hard to fathom why anyone would seriously accuse either the maintainers of or visitors to these sites of being in any danger of being corrupted by such primitive tactics. If anything such obvious propoganda from microsoft is proof of the threat that the resources these sites provide present to microsoft. I regard these ads both as a badge of honour and testimony to how far linux has come. To treat this sponsorship as anything more than a) a convenient (and lucrative) joke and b) testiment to the distance linux / open source software has come; is to play into Bill's neatly manicured hands.. microsoft can point to any response that resembles censorship and claim that the Linux community is afraid of open and balanced debate and is hiding from "reality" (albeit in the form of propoganda) (I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't an outcome that the spin doctors at Microsoft are attempting to engineer in the first place - agent provocateurs have been an instrument of despotic regimes throughout history)Anyway I have always believed that censorship / censuriousness is contrary to the central tenets of linux and the open source movement in general- openness and freedom ( as opposed to feardom or feedom or fiddledeedum ) are what many people regard as what is most valuable about these movements (aside from the technical achievements of course). Regardless of this disagreement I greatly appreciate this site in particular, thanks for your enthusiasm and hard work!23 • mistaken anonymity (by Frazer at 2004-06-07 18:36:07 GMT)
I mistakenly cloaked the above comment in a cloud of anonymity, hopefully not a fraudulent slip24 • too negative, too anti-commercial (by rreaderr on 2004-06-07 19:31:48 GMT)
I see no threats in microsoft banners any more than I see threats in "enlarge your penis" -banners, or whatever. Do we think that people visiting linux sites are so naive that they have to be "protected" from the brainwashing commercials of "the enemy"? We see thousands of ads and commercials every day.

I wouldn't judge any linux site for having microsoft money. It doesn't immediately imply some kind of slavery. By boycotting those sites, we're just emphasisng that the existance of Linux is somehow defined or motivated by Microsoft. It's not the case. Linux is beyond that (I hope).25 • another opinion on M$ "anti-linux" banners (by P. Pearson on 2004-06-07 19:55:23 GMT)
I wouldn't be opposed to a Linux site having a pro-M$ banner. I'm no fan on Microsoft myself, but competition is what it's all about - right? This could be a good example of "mending fences" and all that. What *does* offend me are "anti-Linux" banners on what is presumably a pro-Linux web site. This crosses the line between cooperative competition and blatant sabotauge. I can't imaging a Toyota Car lot allowing me to put up a sign saying "Toyota's are junk - get a real car!", but I *could* see one allowing a sign saying "If Toyota doesn't offer what you need/want then have I got an offer for you!"

My $.02 worth26 • Bill Gates - Hitler? (by Mal at 2004-06-07 21:12:53 GMT)
Given this anniversary for D-Day one would think a bit of consideration would be at the forefront of our minds. How anyone can compare, in any way, shape or form, Bill Gates with the murdering Monster responsible for millions of deaths is totally beyond me. You may not like Gates business practices or software, but this sort of comparison is beyond the pale.27 • No subject (by grover on 2004-06-07 22:14:11 GMT)
distrowatch (if anyone isnt clear on this) is a one man show i myslef think its quite stupid of these sites to take money from microsoft so that they can place ads on the sites with anti-linux propagandai wont refuse to check the sites out if there is something i wont to see therebut i would take the links down if i where in this guys shoes tooi dont see the ads a big threat to linuxbut i do see it as a threat to common sence (like we need another)perhaps those of us who find something on such a linux oriented site and feel the need to share it in the future will include a (take this info with a grain of salt, as these morons take money from MS and post anti-linux ads)28 • M*S funding (by baud123 on 2004-06-07 22:54:31 GMT)
You are right ladislav : linux promoters should not take money from any anti-linux firm (should it be M§ or SCO), the community can live without it !FUD should be identified as is (should it be anti-M£$€... : that's *FUD* blue screen of death and other ad-aware...) mostly on linux "libre" websitesDeontology is a word *without* multiple meanings, integrity being the fore and foremost... Though I agree that *news* websites should *identify* both worthly/not worthly news for the sake of liberty (FUD would evidently be identified as *not worthly* whatever lobby is behind it ;-) an icon could denounce it). Well for next DWW let's analyze the state of the art in FUD (on both parts BTW, as the blue screen of death will be long dead by LongHorn outcome ;-) )Keep up your own - currently published - deontology, you are one reference (taken into account ?! yes !)29 • No subject (by Mick at 2004-06-07 23:08:36 GMT)
just visited lxer.com as suggested by Vacendak. quite true, the site is utilitarian, but it is very informative.

I have to admit, I always thought it was a little outrageous - not to mention ironic - to follow a link to Linux Today, or LinuxPLanet, and get broadsided with an M$ Server ad. And while some might think it's much ado about nothing, it shows a measure of integrity to take down the links, Ladislav - good job30 • Microsloth ads (by Haldir on 2004-06-07 23:13:55 GMT)
Linux Magazine has been putting the ads in the print mag for close to a year I think. I think if you sleep with dogs, your going to get fleas. If M$ can make them dependent on their ad money then how long will their editorial principles hold up. I also think there is a danger that a new linux user will see the ads and either believe them or what kind of subconscious message does he get. Linux can't even support its own websites with out the money from the great microsloth.

As to the complaint that the article is some how limiting freedom of choice. If DW shows up at your house to keep you from going to the sites, that is limiting your freedom of choice. Informing you of what he perceives is a problem and asking the question should these sites be boycotted is the exact opposite. He is encouraging a discussion. He is informing people that my have been ignorant of the situation. I applaud DW's decision to bring this issue out into the light of day for inspection.31 • Boten linux is still alive (by rootux at 2004-06-07 23:32:36 GMT)
Boten linux is still aliveupdate your links

http://www.flightsimhq.org/pub/linux/peanut/ - v9.632 • RE: Boten linux is still alive (by ladislav at 2004-06-08 00:37:16 GMT)
I am sorry, but I can't find any references to Boten Linux on either of the links you provided.33 • Donations (by Sergio on 2004-06-08 01:24:57 GMT)
Ladislav

I really like your idea of donating to worthy Free Software projects: it shows the kindness of your heart, and hopefully is a good example for the many freeloaders in the linux community.

As to projects I'd like to see promoted, I am desperate for a good download manager (GetRight style)Prozgui is the one which is nearer to my idea of a download manager, but it could do with a couple more features, like a "Drop Target" and downloading one file from multiple locations.34 • Should we boycott Linux Today? (by Gary on 2004-06-08 01:34:58 GMT)
I agree. Just deleted Linux Today from my bookmarks.35 • Donation Nominee (by Emil Chandrawisesa on 2004-06-08 03:25:13 GMT)
Knoppix gave me a chance to try Linux without having to install anything and, subsequently, it had me convinced that there ARE viable alternatives to microsoft on desktop. So I would like to nominate knoppix for the next donation.

cheers.36 • M$ Ads (by Descentlvr at 2004-06-08 04:05:08 GMT)
If M$ wants to fund Linux, so be it! I see this as a waste of money for M$ and money gained for a Linux-affiliated company. I can't picture Linux users or soon-to-be Linux users going to a Linux website and going "Oh Microsoft's ad says that Windows is better than Linux! I believe them! Glad I got that cleared up!"37 • Donation nominee (by Lord-storm on 2004-06-08 05:55:49 GMT)
The mono project http://www.go-mono.com/asp-net.htmlTo help linux host ASP.NET sure the project is helped by Novell but I dont think it could hurt. Linux realy needs to be able to host asp.net web matrix is the new front page on GO Pills. Sure there would be alot of you out there ready to bash me for the mention. (web matrix was not funded by Microsoft in the beginning it was a hobby "issue 30 .net show")

Yes, I'd like to second that, so long that donations can go to projects and not just distros.

Mono is in 1.0 Beta 2 atm, when 1.0 Official comes out at the end of the month I'm hoping more .NET developers will see Linux/Unix/OSX/BSD as a viable solution to development/deployment for projects with low budgets.

Eventually I'd like their reason to switch to Mono to be because of performance over Linux/etc, but one step at a time.

Also, I've been using DamnSmallLinux for quite some time now, and am well impressed with the myDSL extensions, I'm personally working on some and there should be plenty more games coming for myDSL!!

KnoppixMame is now OBSOLETE - it's a 120meg distro - compare that to DSL with the Mame myDSL extension - that's just over 50megs and is MUCH more usuable than KnoppixMame. Add to that lxdoom, Quake 1 (soon), Quake 2 and whatever we can get you'll have a great distro fitting on a 185meg mini CD :)40 • Suggestion for Distrowatch.com (by Anonymous on 2004-06-08 10:11:56 GMT)
Ladislav,

I don't know, it just doesn't seem necessary. If I say San Diego, USA, that conveys sufficient amount of information about the place. Sure, it will sound strange to most Americans who normally hear San Diego, California, but this web site is read in all corners of the world, so we need to be more international.

I think that the idea of specifying a state or province is a lot more prevalent in US/CA, than in most other parts of the world.
42 • Botenlinux (by EEDOK on 2004-06-08 18:44:11 GMT)http://www.mpthrill.com/peanut/43 • Mandrake-Review (by Lord-Storm on 2004-06-09 11:29:28 GMT)
Well I thought I would write a small review on mandrake 10 and KDE since that is the only interface I use.

Mandrake has an option to use the new 2.6.x or the older 2.4.x this is fair enough but the 2.4.x is default and it is what is configured in the end where you pick network etc. I set up my smooth wall like normal it worked in 2.4.x but I booted into 2.6.x and smoothwall did not configure like i told it to. This was 1 hour after I have been on the net. It configured properly when I went into the control centere.

Konqueror has spell checking for forums and textboxes like this one. Nice. Clock click it and you have a calender just pops up, Nice.

Starting to get sick of the default pictures for users.

Webadmin ... not installed by default YAY.

Secure well we now have the option to make it so X is only avalible localy (first time I have ever seen that)

mod_mono: An Apache module that works with both 1.3 and 2.0 versions. http://www.go-mono.com/asp-net.html#mod_mono44 • RE: Microsoft Advertising (by Life at 2004-06-09 20:24:31 GMT)
Hmm, this debate is one of those really sticky topics, on one hand you have to support the Linux sites who have to use adverts as their only source of income, and without it, could not survive. One way of looking at it is that Microsoft are spending money on financing the Linux community, which is ironic.

On the other hand however, this is not normal advertising per se, it is designed soley to discredit the competetion, rather than picking on the finer points of the product being advertised, which to me is completely wrong. However this is how Microsoft do business, and sadly it has worked effectively in the past.

Whilst I will not boycott any site purely because there are Microsoft adverts, I do think the people in charge of selling the advertising space should consider other options. Afterall, there are plenty of advertisers willing to purchase space on these websites, why do they have to go with Microsoft?

Kinda like signing a contract with the devil, when there are contracts offering the same package without the small print forcing you to give up a peice of your soul ;)45 • MS ads everywhere (by Ariszló at 2004-06-09 22:05:14 GMT)
Don't boycott them. MS ads also appear at SourceForge.net, which I would *never* consider boycotting.46 • TheRegister (by Pingu on 2004-06-10 02:49:37 GMT)
The Register (www.theregister.com) also has MS advertising, which is surprising considering the general antiness towards MS on the Register.

It makes everything these sites say "questionable", everything they say and do is now suspect.

They should (like Distrowatch) not allow MS to advertise. I'd rather see a "Bandwidth Exceeded" message for a few hours here and there rather than see MS advertising thrust on my screen while I'm trying to read Linux news...

http://www.privoxy.org/48 • Add "News" to distribution page (by goldfndr at 2004-06-10 12:24:17 GMT)
Any chance you could add a hyperlink in each distribution's summary page to the list of recent news stories?

For example, in http://www.distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=kanotix add a link to http://www.distrowatch.com/index.php?distribution=kanotix (perhaps with default values giving a limited number of stories and if truncated say so).49 • Boycott Linux Today? - Absolutely! (by Gary on 2004-06-10 16:02:04 GMT)
The point isn't that one should boycott a site just because it has one or two MS ads. The point is that the ads are designed to be against Liunx and not necessarily for MS. One could argue that because it is against Linux it has to be for MS. There really is a difference between saying how great your product is as opposed to how poor the other one is. I don't understand the logic of some of these posts. If you're going to support Linux why on earth would want to advertise for them. The money? Is that really supporting Linux if MS pays you so you can keep your site running in order to adverise for them? That's nothing more than a MS payoff like Sun only on a smaller scale. You people really need to think about this.50 • Boycot Linux Today (by Goth on 2004-06-10 19:01:23 GMT)
Of course we will boycot those sites, a very high percentage of Linux users actually use Linux for philosophical reasons as a way of life. Not all of us (although a high percentage) hate MS, but boycot MS products as part of our cult anyway.... Just the evil that is present in every aspect of life, you can fight it or just ignore it... choose your path Linux Phellas !!51 • Amen! (by Benjamin Vander Jagt at 2004-06-11 17:01:09 GMT)
Well said, Goth!

Linux is a moral issue, not a practical one!

and I wonder what would be the effect of all of the people who are not swayed by such lies continuing to go to those sites. wouldn't it use up their bandwidth? wouldn't MS be paying for fruitless ads? wouldn't we know more an more about what they're saying about us?

I'm a Bible-based Christian, but I study the occult. many Christians do not, because they feel they are supporting or endorsing Paganism when they do that. that's absolutely not true. all they're doing is testing what they know and learning what it is that the adversary is saying.52 • MicroSoft advertising on Linux web sites. (by Linux user on 2004-06-11 22:05:07 GMT)
Excepted one argument: financial dependence (which can be a real problem), I have no objections about anyone (including MS) advertising, as long as their identity is not hidden behind a name carrier.

It is amazing to see how many very weel paid lobbyists are hidding behind a nice name like "concerned taxpayers etc..."

But at the end, I hope and believe that the quality of the argument(s) will carry the day.

So be as intellectually honest as possible, and look at any issue for its intrinsic value.

(arr, there seem to be spiders in here. >_>)54 • Linux Today is exposed of its practices! (by Mel on 2004-06-12 05:53:39 GMT)
Linux today is exposed of its practices, obvisouly lxer.com kind of websites will grow. What we need to do is each time when Linux Today shows a wrong article expose them in the web site like lxer.com

Continuing FUD should be countered by Continuing Defence. Don't boycott. Expose each news and make it worthless whining for M$ website.55 • No subject (by Anonymous on 2004-06-12 09:36:16 GMT)
I am a robot! I like Microsoft! / I am a robot! I like Linux!.

And tthe difference is...?56 • M$ vs Linux (by daLe on 2004-06-12 18:49:49 GMT)
am currently using win os.. not because i support windows its because windows piracy is very rampant here.. if you say win os i mean is win95,98,me,2k,xp.... my opinion is i dont like windows coz its more on profit-service not like linux its on security,stability,service rather than profit.... i mean its for free.. more network admins here are paid higher if you know more about linux rather than windows.. and its good to say linux is an open source..

well we all do have our own opinion but that one is mine.57 • No subject (by Anonymous on 2004-06-12 20:49:02 GMT)
> I am a robot! I like Microsoft! / I am a robot! I like Linux!.